A combo of 2 favorite loaves of bread, this Paleo Zucchini Banana Bread is grain and gluten-free, packed with zucchini and banana, and only sweetened with 2 tablespoons of honey. Perfect for a healthy treat, snack, breakfast, or even meal prep!
Last updated on May 27, 2021.
When you can’t decide between banana bread and zucchini bread, you make zucchini banana bread! The combo is the best of both worlds – it has a slight sweetness from the bananas, is moist without being too dense, and also has a cup of veggies in it.
With using ripe bananas, not much sweetener is needed, making it a healthy option. It is also free from grains, refined sugar, dairy, and gluten.
This paleo zucchini banana bread makes the perfect healthy breakfast addition, snack, or treat for the week. It will keep for a week and makes a perfect addition for meal prep.
I’ve been eating it plain or slathered with some butter, nut butter, or tahini. To get extra fancy, try making this paleo zucchini bread ice cream with it! It is a fun treat to use up the leftovers.
Paleo zucchini banana bread recipe
This zucchini banana bread is really quite easy to make! It combines zucchini and banana bread and is only sweetened with 2 tablespoons of honey, making it a healthy option.
Zucchini banana bread ingredients:
- ripe bananas (the riper the sweeter the bread will be)
- eggs
- honey
- coconut oil
- vanilla extract
- paleo baking flour – I used a store-bought mix to make it easy
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- zucchini
First, you need to combine your wet ingredients. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add banana and mash with a fork/whisk until smooth. Add eggs, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla extract and whisk until combined.
Next, mix together your dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
Then stir in the shredded zucchini. The batter will be pretty thick.
Pour into a lined bread pan and bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the pan and let cool before slicing.
To give you a fair warning – this bread is pretty moist. The bananas and zucchini contribute to that and since it is paleo, it doesn’t have the chewiness you would find in regular bread. But it is still absolutely amazing!
Do you need to squeeze out the zucchini?
Yes, you need to squeeze out the excess liquid in your shredded zucchini, or else the zucchini bread will be too wet and won’t bake through. To do so, simply measure out the amount you need, and then wrap it in a dishtowel or use a nut milk bag, and gently squeeze out the liquid.
I like to roughly chop the zucchini after I shred it (and before I squeeze it) so you don’t get big pieces of zucchini in the loaf.
How to store zucchini banana bread
To store healthy zucchini banana bread, keep it on the counter or tightly covered in the refrigerator. It will last on the counter for a few days, but be careful as if your house is too warm, it can get moldy. I suggest storing in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed glass dish. It will last up to a week.
To freeze zucchini banana bread, you can freeze the whole loaf or can slice it up and freeze it in individual pieces. When defrosting, take out the loaf the night before you want to enjoy it and allow it to defrost in the fridge. To defrost individual slices, take them out an hour or two before you want to enjoy them.
You can heat up the bread in the microwave if you want to enjoy it warm.
Tips for the best healthy zucchini banana bread
To ensure the best bread, follow these tips:
- make sure to squeeze out the liquid of the zucchini so it is not too wet
- try not to overmix the batter
- use a smaller loaf pan – since this bread is made with paleo flour, it doesn’t rise as much as a normal loaf of bread would. If you use a smaller loaf pan, it will stand pretty tall like a normal loaf of bread.
Substitutions or additions for zucchini banana bread
Baking is somewhat of a science. Here are a few substitutions you can try depending on what you have on hand:
- flour – I have not tried any other flour substitutes, but a gluten-free flour blend might work. I do not think just almond or coconut flour will work, they are too dense on their own
- honey – maple syrup will work instead of honey
- coconut oil – butter or ghee will work as a good substitute
Feel free to spice up this zucchini banana bread recipe with these additions:
- chocolate chips – for a little chocolate goodness
- nuts – walnuts or pecans would be delicious
- dried fruit – raisins or dried cranberries would be great additions
- spices – add some more if you like for more depth of flavor
More healthy baked goods
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
- Sweet Potato Blueberry Protein Muffins
- Apple Cinnamon Protein Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins
Paleo Zucchini Banana Bread
ingredients
- 2 medium-large ripe bananas (should have some brown spots) (200 grams/about 3/4 cups mashed)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups paleo baking flour
- 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 heaping cup shredded zucchini, excess liquid squeezed out* (about 1 medium/150 grams)
instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x5 bread pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, add banana and mash with a fork/whisk until smooth. Add eggs, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla extract and whisk until combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in the shredded zucchini.
- Pour into the lined bread pan and bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the pan and let cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Enjoy!
notes
nutrition
Recipe by Kelly Nardo, Eat the Gains | Photography by The Mindful Hapa
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Dad says
Two of my favorite foods DLish
Kelly says
Yes! The combo is so good!
Kerri says
Made these into muffins for a dessert and easy go-to snacks for the kids and myself!! Big hit with the kiddos!! 🙌🏻 I used the 1:1 flour baking flour which made them a little more dense but still delicious!! Plan on making another batch tomorrow!!
Kelly says
Oh, I love the idea of muffins! Glad you enjoyed them Kerri and thanks for trying!